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08 September 2016

Bowwood Pinotage at the WoSA Intrepid Tasting

To London, and Tobacco Dock for the Intrepid South Africa
tasting. WoSA put on this years show in the transformed old warehouse on the
banks of the Thames after Chile and
Argentina pulled out of the co-operation of previous years in combining
tastings.

London was undergoing an unexpected heatwave with very high
humidity and the hall’s air-conditioning struggled to cope with the mass of
exhibitors and visitors. Wines at first were too warm but soon bags after bags
of ice were brought in and wines both red and white cooled.

As well as 94 stands, many hosting two wineries were 9 themed
tasting stands holding 18 bottles manned at different times by winemakers.
These tables also included some non-SA wines “highlighting South Africa’s
confidence in producing world class wines, while demonstrating that South
Africa has honed its own style and identity.”

The Pinotage stand was hosted by Anthony Hamilton-Russell, an
enthusiastic Pinotage advocate and owner of Pinotage producing Southern Right
and Ashbourne, as well as Hamilton-Russell Vineyards. Anthony was his usual very dapper self in an immaculate
tweed jacket despite the heat. He was partnered by winemaker Danie Steyler Jr
from the first rate Pinotage producing Kaapzicht estate.

The wines on show on ‘Driven by History’ Pinotage stand were

Tormentino Bush Vine 2014

Spionkop 1900 2014

David & Nadia 2015

Bellingham Bernard Series 2014

Lyngrove Platinum 2014

Ashbourne 2009

Southern Right 2015

Spier 21 Gables 2013

Bowwood 2014

Beaumont 2013

Flagstone Writers Block 2013

Simonsig Redhill 2013

Kaapzicht Steytler 2012

Neethingof Owl Post 2014

Diemersdal Reserve 2015

The non SA, non-Pinotage, wines were

Clos Saron Blue Cheer Cinsaut/Carignan 2014 (USA)

Niepoort Vertente 2013, (Douro, Portugal)

La Crema Pinot Noir 2013 (Sonoma, USA)

Bowwood is a name new to me. It was produced at Vondeling by
its winemaker Matthew Copeland with the assistance, for this maiden vintage, of
Pinotage perfectionist Bruce Jack.

Matthew Copeland, Bowwood Winemaker

Matthew (above) was also at the stand and he told me that just the wine hasn’t yet been released and this bottle he'd carried from the Cape in his baggage

Bowwood 2004 has a fruity nose redolent of blackberries. It is
soft on the front palate developing a really lip smacking spiciness on the
finish with a refreshing little lift of acidity. Very tasty wine, definitly worth looking out for it - yet only 5 barrels were made so you'd better be fast!

Outside three food stands offered a choice of barbecued boerewors
or a healthy mixed salad but I settled on a Cape Malay mutton and banana curry
served as bunny chow in a hollowed out bun, accompanied by a bush mint and
Table Mountain lemon yoghurt.

The essential accompanying
glass of Pinotage came from the tasting room.

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About Me

Peter F May is the founder of The Pinotage Club, an international cyber-based fan club for wines made from the Pinotage variety.
Peter was awarded Honorary Membership of the producers Pinotage Association in 2004 and was a judge at the annual Pinotage Top 10 Competition in 2004 and 2005.
Peter is a wine writer, educator and author. His book PINOTAGE: Behind the Legends of South Africa's Own Wine may ordered below and from Amazon.
Marilyn Merlot and the Naked Grape - odd wines from around the world was published in summer 2006.
Peter answers all polite emails - contact him at peter (at) pinotage (dot) org .

A I Perold's
A Treatise
on Viticulture
A I Perold (1880-1941) was South Africa's first Professor of Viticulture and Oenology. He dedicated himself to improving the quality of grapes for wine, brandy and the table. He studied wine and brandy production in Europe, imported more than 60 varieties to the Cape and bred new ones. Perold said this book “is intended to serve both the student and the practical grape-grower. There are in it technical passages that will appeal more to the student, e.g. the chapters dealing with the biology of the vine, its external and internal morphology, the theory of grafting. My remarks on the practice of viticulture, such as those dealing with the propagation, manuring and pruning of the vine, the production of table grapes for export, will, it is hoped, assist the practical grape-grower as well as the student.” This is a newly typeset reprint, not a photocopy. Text on the 712 pages have been aligned to match the original pagination so any external references to pages in the Treatise will be valid in this edition
Available in paperback and hardback editions. 712 pages